Seing the sigths of Leeuwarden

Leeuwarden Travel Blog

Yesterday Wendy kept reminding all of us we had a very big day today. I know Wendy got a huge day today with her mother's birthday, catering and making sure everybody gets to kite surfing and pramfahren in time. Me on the other hand - I don't really have a lot on the agenda. I need to sleep for a bit and then go to see the city of Leeuwarden.

My extensive research of what there is to see in Leeuwarden has let me to believe I can probably handle that bit in a couple of hours in the morning without getting stressed. It turns out to be pretty accurate.

There are some nice sites in Leeuwarden - but it is a small city - hence you can walk between the different spots in a short time.

The Waag - or weighing place. Pronounced Waaaaaaaaa-a-a-aghghtggghhhtttghgh in Frisian.

As you walk around the town you are almost sure you will get caught up by a bridge opening at some stage. There are just an incredible number of bridges in the city and in all of Friesland. I too got stopped by a bridge trying to walk out to a church somewhere.

The small centre of town actually got several nice old buildings along the canals. Including the cities very own leaning tower. They must have used the same architect as they did in Pisa. The most important site in town is the Wag - I thought this meant meeting point given we always seemed to be meeting up at the Wag - or as it is pronounced in Frisian Waaaaaaaaaa-a-a-a-ghghghgghttthgttghg. In fact it appears Wag means place where you weigh stuff - or weigh station.

I walk around town and even manage to help some Dutch find their way to the centre in their car - they are already in the centre of town - small place indeed.

I get back to the hotel and the people who are supposed to go kite surfing is still at the hotel. Hence I tag along and drive out to the kite surfing place with Wendy.

We get back
from the prahmfahren and kite surfing at around 6.45 hence we got plenty of
time to relax before the late diner at 7 at Humphreys. At 7 people start to
show up in the restaurant. Well Wendy gets there at 7 - and nobody else is
anywhere close to the restaurant.

7.05 Wendy
is still alone in the restaurant and we are not ready to leave the hotel.

7.10 Wendy
still alone in the restaurant and we start to expect to hear from Wendy soon - calling
to check up on us.

7.15 Wendy
still alone in the restaurant but by now she has called half the phones in Leeuwarden area to
investigate when people is coming.

Dessert being served - it was the waiters - honest.

We are still at the hotel waiting for a few
people to come down - but to reassure Wendy we tell her we are almost at the
restaurant.

7.20-25
Wendy is joined by Joost at first soon followed by Narrie and Wilco. A big
group arrives around 7.30 and Wendy finally got most of her kids gathered
around the place so she won't have to be worried anymore.

Diner is a
deal with a 3 course menu with free drinks until they serve the dessert. The
restaurant is so bloody hot that the amount of free drinks to survive the heat
is pretty big. It is always amusing to watch the general confusion when the
waiters try to serve a meal to 40 people. It always takes forever to get the
right meal to the right person. Today is no exception - it is a bit chaotic
when the starter arrive, it is a bit chaotic when the main arrive - and when
the dessert finally arrive it is dropped on the flour.

Cash, cash and more cash. Is it enough?

This mishap signals not
only the end of the dessert but also and more problematic the end of the free
drinks period.

After the
end of dinner it is time to pay the bill - or at least give it a very good
shot. Money is changing hand being handed over and change going back. Will it
ever be sorted out - well it could take a long time. But it doesn't it goes
more smoothly than you could expect and we are of to a bar somewhere in town. More
beers and no major incidences in that place - hence we need to go somewhere
else to get something to write about - but either I don't see all the really
exiting stuff or nothing major happen in the second place either before I head
back to Eden.